Todd Hoogland, the oldest of Les Hoogland’s four children, thanks the community for the honor of dedicating the park in honor of his father.
Jane Hoogland Jipping, left, and Julie Hoogland Taylor, right, unveil the plaque honoring their late father, former Zeeland Mayor Les Hoogland, during the Aug. 5 dedication ceremony formally naming the pocket park at the corner of Main Avenue and Elm Street as Hoogland Plaza.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
It was more than 20 years ago when city leaders in Zeeland created a pocket park at the corner of Main Avenue and Elm Street as part of a reconstruction project that would transform the city’s downtown.
Now, that park will forever be connected to a man who played a central role in its creation, and who left a gigantic footprint on the city – former Mayor Les Hoogland.
More than 200 people, including all four of Hoogland’s children, along with grandchildren and extended family, gathered Aug. 5 for a dedication ceremony renaming the former Heritage Square as Hoogland Plaza.
Hoogland’s daughters, Julie Hoogland Taylor and Jane Hoogland Jipping, removed the covering to unveil a plaque featuring his likeness and a narrative of his many activities, both as mayor and in the community.
“Les … had a passion for this community. He was a committed champion of its development, including promoting downtown Zeeland’s revitalization, establishing the Howard Miller Library and Community Center, encouraging the city’s strong industrial base, supporting Dekker Huis Museum, and strengthening ties to the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. His commitment to our community will benefit residents for years to come,” a portion of the plaque reads.
Hoogland served on the City Council for 30 years, including 22 as mayor from 1990 to 2012 – the longest mayoral tenure in the city’s history. The dedication came almost a year to the day after his death on Aug. 8, 2024, at the age of 94.
Todd Hoogland, the oldest of Les and Viv Hoogland’s children, thanked the city and its residents on behalf of the family for the honor.
“We especially appreciate its location, in the heart of the city that he loved,” Todd Hoogland said. “Having the unveiling … during National Night Out, is certainly appropriate, as Dad strove with all his heart to make Zeeland a vibrant, prosperous and safe community for all walks of life.”
Mayor Kevin Klynstra called Hoogland Plaza “a perfect setting for outdoor events and community gatherings.”
“Les loved (downtown). He took great pride in seeing downtown alive and bustling,” Klynstra said. “He loved watching people come together, connecting and sharing and creating memories.”
Klynstra said that city leaders and the Hoogland family discussed several ideas for honoring the former mayor, including naming the city’s industrial park after him for his work in helping attract new industry to the city.
“The family thought it might be appropriate to do something downtown,” Klynstra said. “Les loved our downtown and was always looking for ways to improve it. He would go on calls with (City Marketing Director) Abby deRoo and try to recruit new businesses and retail stores for our downtown.”
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen spoke of the legacy Hoogland left for the Zeeland community.
“Even if you were not privileged to know him, or work with him, or have a cup of coffee with him, or attend a church service with him, or needed a car repaired, just take a moment to look around, and you can see and you can feel (and) you can hear stories of what he gave to all of us,” Gruppen said.
“Les was simply a great Zeelander. He had great pride in this community. He wanted for Zeeland to be on everyone’s personal map – to visit here, to stay here, to share here, to eat here … He loved sharing Zeeland’s history, its legacy, to all who would hear. He had visitors from all over the world scheduled to come visit and enrich our lives with their stories,” Gruppen added.
Gruppen specifically thanked the Hoogland family for their sacrifices of giving up family time so that their father could be about the business of the city.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Twp., gave a brief speech to be entered into the Congressional Record the day of the dedication ceremony, recognizing Hoogland and the naming of the park in his honor. Huizenga’s district director, Lexi Willison, presented a framed copy of the congressman’s Congressional Record statement to the family at the ceremony.
“The new Hoogland Plaza will memorialize his passion and commitment for his city, and I am honored to join my fellow Zeelanders in celebrating a truly great man,” said Huizenga, whose father, Gerald, served with Hoogland on the City Council. “Les’s commitment to Zeeland, his family, and his friends is unrivaled, and he will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.”
Zeeland Record
It was more than 20 years ago when city leaders in Zeeland created a pocket park at the corner of Main Avenue and Elm Street as part of a reconstruction project that would transform the city’s downtown.
Now, that park will forever be connected to a man who played a central role in its creation, and who left a gigantic footprint on the city – former Mayor Les Hoogland.
More than 200 people, including all four of Hoogland’s children, along with grandchildren and extended family, gathered Aug. 5 for a dedication ceremony renaming the former Heritage Square as Hoogland Plaza.
Hoogland’s daughters, Julie Hoogland Taylor and Jane Hoogland Jipping, removed the covering to unveil a plaque featuring his likeness and a narrative of his many activities, both as mayor and in the community.
“Les … had a passion for this community. He was a committed champion of its development, including promoting downtown Zeeland’s revitalization, establishing the Howard Miller Library and Community Center, encouraging the city’s strong industrial base, supporting Dekker Huis Museum, and strengthening ties to the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. His commitment to our community will benefit residents for years to come,” a portion of the plaque reads.
Hoogland served on the City Council for 30 years, including 22 as mayor from 1990 to 2012 – the longest mayoral tenure in the city’s history. The dedication came almost a year to the day after his death on Aug. 8, 2024, at the age of 94.
Todd Hoogland, the oldest of Les and Viv Hoogland’s children, thanked the city and its residents on behalf of the family for the honor.
“We especially appreciate its location, in the heart of the city that he loved,” Todd Hoogland said. “Having the unveiling … during National Night Out, is certainly appropriate, as Dad strove with all his heart to make Zeeland a vibrant, prosperous and safe community for all walks of life.”
Mayor Kevin Klynstra called Hoogland Plaza “a perfect setting for outdoor events and community gatherings.”
“Les loved (downtown). He took great pride in seeing downtown alive and bustling,” Klynstra said. “He loved watching people come together, connecting and sharing and creating memories.”
Klynstra said that city leaders and the Hoogland family discussed several ideas for honoring the former mayor, including naming the city’s industrial park after him for his work in helping attract new industry to the city.
“The family thought it might be appropriate to do something downtown,” Klynstra said. “Les loved our downtown and was always looking for ways to improve it. He would go on calls with (City Marketing Director) Abby deRoo and try to recruit new businesses and retail stores for our downtown.”
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen spoke of the legacy Hoogland left for the Zeeland community.
“Even if you were not privileged to know him, or work with him, or have a cup of coffee with him, or attend a church service with him, or needed a car repaired, just take a moment to look around, and you can see and you can feel (and) you can hear stories of what he gave to all of us,” Gruppen said.
“Les was simply a great Zeelander. He had great pride in this community. He wanted for Zeeland to be on everyone’s personal map – to visit here, to stay here, to share here, to eat here … He loved sharing Zeeland’s history, its legacy, to all who would hear. He had visitors from all over the world scheduled to come visit and enrich our lives with their stories,” Gruppen added.
Gruppen specifically thanked the Hoogland family for their sacrifices of giving up family time so that their father could be about the business of the city.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Twp., gave a brief speech to be entered into the Congressional Record the day of the dedication ceremony, recognizing Hoogland and the naming of the park in his honor. Huizenga’s district director, Lexi Willison, presented a framed copy of the congressman’s Congressional Record statement to the family at the ceremony.
“The new Hoogland Plaza will memorialize his passion and commitment for his city, and I am honored to join my fellow Zeelanders in celebrating a truly great man,” said Huizenga, whose father, Gerald, served with Hoogland on the City Council. “Les’s commitment to Zeeland, his family, and his friends is unrivaled, and he will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.”
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